pawsylilseikofandomcom-20200214-history
Bleach: Hellfire Blitz War
Author's Note: This fanfiction assumes you are generally familiar with Bleach lore, so things that are generally inherent to it will not be explained. However, you can find any information on current lore here. Also, this will be released Chapter by chapter so I can: 1. Keep up with it, and 2. Improve it as I go along. "Mayuri Kurotsuchi, you have been found guilty of war crimes committed during the Quincy Blood Wars, up to and including brainwashing a fellow captain, desecration of dead bodies, attempted murder of a fellow captain, and use of an illegal precognitor drug. Your actions have proven dishonorable, and you are to be punished to the fullest extent of the law," the voice of a Central 46 echoed through the chamber. Mayuri Kurotsuchi, former Captain of the Twelfth Squad, was sitting on a chair in front of the Central 46, unable to move or speak due to his binds. "However, with recognition that your efforts did in fact assist in turning the war in our favor, we have unanimously voted you are to be exempt from execution. We have instead decided that you are to be sentenced to 250 years in Myutten." Mayuri rolled his eyes. This was the thanks he got for assisting the Soul Society. Locking up a man of science, sealing him and stripping him of his powers. What a waste. Toshiro Hitsugaya had been the first victim of his precognitor drug: a drug that replaced the blood of an individual with a special chemical that effectively placed him under Mayuri's control. It was created explicitly to counter Giselle, and that it did. Unfortunately, if the victim was still alive, brainwashing them and replacing their blood (almost killing them in the process) was considered a war crime. ''All they needed to do to remove the drug was a simple blood transfusion. But no matter. He was certain that if that damned Urahara didn't show up, they would need him again soon. ---- Shunsui had not decided to replace the lost Captains from the war. Currently, he needed all hands on deck rebuilding the Soul Society. Five years had passed since the end of that war. It was a dark year in history for the Gotei 13; many had been lost, including Kensei, Rose, Unohana, Ukitake, and the former Head Captain, Shigekuni Genryusai Yamamoto. The Soul Society pressed on, however, still performing its duties, and undoing the unbalancing damage Ywach had done. He frowned. The damage was stressful, to say the least. The Soul Society had duties to perform, made all the more difficult to do because of the destruction the war had caused. And there were two other vacant seats. Mayuri Kurotsuchi was imprisoned for war crimes; Byakuya Kuchiki was, well, promoted to Royal Guard. And now, there was the matter of other things. Hollows were rampant; though the one benefit, sad as it seemed, was that it spared the Gotei 13 from having to genocide portions of he World of the Living in order to restore the balance. So long as a Shinigami was there to perform Konso and purify the Hollow, things would be fine. But he still had the feeling not all of it was over as he once thought. Gates. Odd gates. They were opening all over the place. ---- "Alright. I've taken care of the Hollow," Ichigo spoke softly to the little girl. "I'm gonna touch on the head with the bottom of my sword. Don't be scared, okay? It's to help you pass on." The little girl looked down, a small tear in her eye. "Hey. It'll be alright. Things may be tough, but they'll take care of you there." "Promise?" the little girl quietly asked. "I Promise." The little girl smiled. "Okay." Ichigo touched the girl's forehead with his hilt. In no time, she disappeared, on her way to the Soul Society. It had been five full years since the near-destruction of the Soul Society. Ywach had claimed to see the future. He hadn't forseen his defeat. And now, things could get back to normal. People could recover. A voice from above interrupted his thoughts. "ITSYGO!" Nel landed on him like a 20 ton boulder. He picked her up and attempted to sit up. "Nel?" "Itsygo! We need yer halp!" "With what?!" "Some weally odd guys came to Hueco Mundo! Dey left after and Nel followed dem! Dey're here!" "Well, hold on- who are they?" "Dunno! Dey came dhrew dis weally hot gate! Nel followed and didn't get caught but dey looked scary!" Ichigo sat up, propping Nel to his shoulder. "Take me to them." "Dis way!" She pointed. Ichigo immediately shunpoed in that direction. Whoever they were, they sounded like trouble... ---- The three Tagobito stepped out of the gate to Hell. They wore purple uniforms; a jacket, pants, and combat boots. The first was a male, bearing a spiral tattoo on his eye: Tempesta Cazone. His hair was a deep shade of green, and was spiked. At his side, he carried his sword. The second was a female. Purple, laid back hair with a headband. Her demeanor was relaxed, and her uniform bore a different modification: a skirt, rather than the pants. Her sword rested along her back. This was Fenice Di Vapore. The third was a brown haired male with a purple tattoo stretching down his side and back. His sword was resting on his left side; his uniform seemed to have an odd fruity scent, like a fresh grape. This was Mortale Mallatia. "Uuuugh. Why does Demone want us to scout out Hueco Mundo and this crapsack of a town so much? It's not like we're gonna be takin' over these two places." Fenice's voice echoed lazily in complaint. "Tactical strategy, Fenice. Know where your enemy can hide. One of the War Powers of the Soul Society has a few friends in those places; he doesn't want to handle all three at once." Mortale answered. "Pffft. Soul Society's still weak from its last war. We should just crush it now while we got the chance. Just scouting is boring." Mortale shrugged. "Better than staying in that god-forsaken pit all day." "HEY!" The three looked over in the direction of the voice. "Who the hell are you?!" "Such coincidental timing. Maybe this might be fun after all." The orange-haired soul reaper repeated himself. "Wait a moment. That's..." "Ichigo Kurosaki. Now, again. Who. the Hell. Are you?" ---- "So, if we mix enough of Chemical A with Chemical B..." ''BOOM! "... it will abruptly explode in our faces." Mr. Karazaku coughed. Ikumi Karazaku was a man who was older than he looked, with smooth features. He wore a lab coat everywhere he went, and never traveled without his signature pair of scissors. Most of the time (despite the Principal's objections) he was smoking a cigarette. His dark brown hair was shoulder length. "I think that's enough for today. Class dismissed." Yuzu Kurosaki was an 18 year old high school student, with blonde hair bound in pig tails. She opened the door of the classroom, walking out slowly. Karin was probably already home; she was going to do as she always did, get home and cook up an after-school meal. She jogged down the street lightly, on her feet cheerfully humming to herself. A voice came from behind. "Yuzu Kurosaki?" She turned around. "Yes?" Something cut her across the chest. Blood fell from her body as the man in front of her spoke. "Please know that your brother will always remember the name: Legate 1A¹: Impressionante Man." His sword almost came down, until someone blocked it. She couldn't see who as she passed out... Yuzu woke up. "Where... am I?" She attempted to sit up, only to be stopped. "Don't move yet. You'll disrupt the beat of the stabilizing kido," the familiar voice of a girl from school held her down. "Hey... you're that exchange student from America." "Yup! Akiza Terra's the name, dubstep's mai game! Anyhow, just hold up a couple secs. Mr. Karazuka will be here in just a minute." Akiza bore electric blue hair, with an outfit you'd expect from a DJ. She was pretty, wearing purple sunglasses and carrying a set of blue headphones around her neck. Her voice was a fake tomboyish voice, possibly just because it was her style. "Mr. Scissors and Cigs? Could you please tell me where I am?" "Well... you're at his house. But... uh... you're kinda..." "Dead." The chemistry teacher walked through the door, spinning his signature pair of scissors on his index finger. "I'm... what?!" "Dead. The togabito's sword killed ya. We couldn't stabilize you in time before your soul left your body. Fortunately enough, since your soul was unconscious, Mrs. Akiza was able to get you here. Which is kinda important, considering what you are. But, you won't have to worry about Mr. Impressionante anymore..." ---- Impressionante was laying in the grass of the park, beginning to dissolve into dust. Cuts adorned his body as he laid in a pool of his own blood. A dog walked up to him, and began to lick his hand. "Goddamn dog... Goddamn scissors..." He dissolved into dust not long after. ---- Yuzu looked at her outfit. She was garbed in a black kimono with a white trim. Beside her was a katana, sheathed in a purple sheath, with red string adorning the handle. The cross-guard was a golden color, circular shaped, adorned with moon shaped holes on both sides. "This... isn't my uniform." "It is now. You ain't a high school gal anymore, Yuzu!" Akiza said cheerfully. "You're what they call a Soul Reaper!" "Specifically, a natural soul reaper. You've had powers since... well, you were born. They were just inactive, which prevented you from being able to see spirits or sense Spiritual Pressure. That being said, the moment that Togabito killed you, they activated. This hasn't happened in over 2,400 hundred years." Yuzu was utterly confused. She paid attention to the explanation the two people in front of her gave her. They explained the concept of Soul Reapers, the Gotei 13, Hollows, and all, noting each and every individual concept to her. But that being said, did her brother know? Her dad? Her sister? "What about my family? Do they know?" "They know about Soul Reapers. They don't know you are one. I'll tell you this though; you ain't the first. Although, I highly doubt your dad and brother will be happy to see you on the battlefield with them." That was a wham line. "Anyhow, that's enough talk. We've got training to begin." "Training?" "Yes. Akiza, kindly show Yuzu the basement, please. I'll meet you down there in thirty minutes." "Hey, Akiza?" "Yeah?" "Who are you two?" "Heh. You'd be surprised. I'll tell ya along the way. Doubt Scissors and Cigs is gonna mind." ---- Some point between 150 to 200 years ago: The Captains had gathered in the hall for the meeting. Light discussion of current events happened as was the norm, before the Head Captain, Shigekuni Yamamoto called for attention. Akiza, donned in the shihauksho and the white haori of Squad 3, stood beside Karakuza, who bore the same uniform, only for Squad 5. "We have gathered here today due to some very odd occurences somewhere in the vicinity of Tokyo. Odd figures, many with burned chains attached to their chest and adorned with masks have been attacking residents of the Human World. I have therefore decided to dispatch two Captains on an investigation: Captain Akiza Terra of Squad 3, and Captain Ikumi Karakuza of Squad 5. You and your lieutenants are to be dispatched to gather information in order to combat this threat. 3rd seats Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi and Shinji Hirako will manage your Squads in the meantime." Ikumi pondered. "Forgive my transgression, Head Captain, but certainly the threat isn't so great as to require our assistance, is it?" "Previous unseated officers were sent as well as members of the Stealth Force. None have come back alive. It is with this information in mind that I have deemed you both to be the best possible option to resecure the world of the living." The Captain Commander replied, stoically. "Note that this is an investigation of highest priority, so you will not be traveling to the Human World with power limiters. Should you encounter a threat, dispatch it immediately. You are dismissed." The two captains left after the line of others walked away. Exiting the first division barracks, they encountered a small, timid girl and a young, robust man. Both had their zanpakutos at their side and bore their lieutenant badges. The male had dark blue hair, down over his eyes. They were a confident brown, and the man bore probably the biggest grin of the century. This was the lieutenant of Squad 3: Jusho Kadeka. The girl, lieutenant of Squad 5, Nimina Taikomi, was small and robust. Though shy, she was energetic. Her bright pink hair was bound back in a ponytail, and she sat on the railing with a small smile as her Captain approached. "Good to see you're both here. Spares us a walk back to the barracks." "Oh... Are... Are we in trouble?" "Not at all, Nimina." Ikumi replied. "Actually, it's a mission. Why would you assume you're in trouble?" "OH, nothing." the girl blushed. He would worry about it when they got back. ---- The group emerged through the Senkaimon. They walked through the outskirts of Tokyo, with villagers going about their daily business, taking no notice of the oddly-dressed samurai walking through their midsts. Of course, not that they could. Suddenly, a roar. "Swords out, now!" Ikumi shouted, and they hopped up to the top of the buildings. Jumping across roofs, they were soon confronted with the scene of a terrified little girl running from a Hollow. Ikumi raised his blade, and Akiza stopped him. "Nah, I got this," she raised her sword, putting her hand on the back of the blade. "Drop, Shindō Burēdo.²" The sword became decorated in a red and blue string, extending up the blade tightly. She pointed it at the Hollow. "Hāfu kyūkei³." The Hollow's speed slowed to a crawl. It roared as the girl came into the arms of the Captain of Squad 5. Akiza walked up to it. "Ya probably wonderin what's goin' on, aren't ya, big guy?" she asked sarcastically. "Here, I'll tell ya: my Zanpakuto has the ability to control vibrations on a subatomic level. By controlling vibrations, I control the speed and volume of which you move and speak. What I've done here is basically halve the speed of the vibrations in your body - in other words, I've halved the speed at which you can move. Any last words?" The hollow roared again in response. Akiza jumped into the air, slicing across its mask. The Hollow fell dead, dissolving into nothingness. "That's what I thought." She turned her head to Ikumi. "How's tha girl?" "She's a plus! I'll perform Konso." Ikumi replied. He looked at the girl. "What's your name, little one?" "Hiyori... Hiyori Sarugaki." "Well, Hiyori. Here's what I gotta do. I'm gonna tap ya on the head with mai sword..." He put the hilt up and tapped himself in the head with it. "... Just like this. You won't feel anything from it, but you'll get to go to a special place, okay? Don't be scared. Just trust me." "Okay..." "Ya know, you seem like a strong girl. Maybe you'll be one of us someday, how's that sound?" "Cool!" "Yeah, it does! Hold still." he touched her forehead with his zanpakuto, and sent her to pass on in the afterlife that was the Soul Society. Akiza walked up to him, as he wore a smile on his face. "You and children, Ikumi. You and children." "I've always liked children, Akiza. It's just part of my personality. They are the future, after all!" he laughed. "Captain!" Nimina came up behind him. "Three men have been spotted with chains corresponding to the description you gave us! And they've got an Academy Student -identified as Sosuke Aizen - hostage!" The Captains nodded. "Let's go." ---- "And then, we-" "Akiza, I think that's enough for right now. We don't overcome our new friend, do we?" the chemistry teacher appeared behind Akiza. "Wait! I have questions!" Yuzu shouted as the two began to enter the basement. "Just follow me. You'll find everything out in time. Speaking of, I wonder how the former Captain of Squad 9 is doing now that she has her powers back..." ---- Fenice held Ichigo up by his neck as she drew back her sword. "You know, they really overestimated you. You were too easy." She went to finish him off with a single stab to the throat. A slash sound followed soon after. The sword arm was on the ground beside Ichigo, as Fenice screamed in surprise, holding the stump. A woman in a Captain's haori stood about five feet away; that is, until she was suddenly in Fenice's face. She put her thumb and finger together, and flicked. Fenice went flying. "Ichigo." "Who... Who are you?" "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING YOU DUMBASS?! ARE YOU HOLDING BACK OR SOMETHING?! THIS ISN'T THE SAME SOUL REAPER I SEEN KICK THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF AIZEN OR HEARD ABOUT BEATING DOWN YWACH! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" "Wait a moment... CHIZURU, WHEN THE HELL DID YOU BECOME A SOUL REAPER, LET ALONE A CAPTAIN?!" Ichigo shouted in utter surprise as he observed the red-haired lesbian standing directly in front of him. "I've been a Soul Reaper. For 200 years, almost. EXCEPT YOUR DUMB ASS JUST MADE ME BLOW MY COVER TO SAVE YOUR SCRAWNY LIFE!" Chizuru shouted back in a comically angry fashion. "YOU SHOULD'VE RELEASED YOUR BANKAI, EVEN IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT ITS NEW FORM IS IN THE CANNON MANGA YET! Besides that, what would Orihime say if I got a scratch on my pretty face?" "Wait... what?" "Nevermind." "Hey." Fenice stood up, a slasher smile across her face. "If you two are done arguing, can I kill you now? Because you just pissed me off!" The togabito kicked off the ground, rushing with her remaining arm toward the red-haired girl. Chizuru held up her sword, and slashed. Fenice went down like a rock. "Damn... who the hell are you?" Chizuru answered. "Chizuru Honsho, former Captain of Squad 9 and proud lesbian! You know, you're kinda hot. Too bad I have to kill ya..." Something picked Fenice up and launched into the air. "Sorry about this. However, our lord has just sent us some new orders that we must attend to." Tempesta held a struggling and objecting Fenice in his left arm. "Both of you would be wise not to follow us." A gate opened behind them. They stepped through it, and it closed. They were gone. "Hey! Wait!" "Don't get up, Ichigo. Your injuries are too severe. I'll need to take you back to Karakuza's, so he can treat your injuries properly." "Karakuza? Mr. Scissors and Cigs, the chemistry teacher? You mean..." "Yes, Ichigo. He is a Soul Reaper." "What the He- IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT I SHOULD KNOW ABO- YAIK, OW, OH, AH!" "See? Now with all that screaming, you've made your wounds bleed out more." "SHUT U- AH, EH, AH, OH!" "ITSYGO!" the arrancar girl jumped out from behind the nearby bush. "ITSYGO, ARE YOU OKAY ITSY- huh?" she glared at the red-haired soul reaper. "Hmmm? Who is this?" "This is Nel, Chizuru. She's an arrancar girl I met in Hueco Mundo." Ichigo patted Nel's head. Chizuru raised an eyebrow. "Why is she glaring at me?" Nel growled. "What's yer welationsip wif Itsygo?" "Heh, popular with the ladies, are ya, Ichigo?" "Shut up." "Don't worry, Lil' Miss Nel. He's not my type." Chizuru chuckled. "Ichigo, hold still. We need to go." "Chizuru," Ichigo stopped Chizuru in her tracks. "Wait. Why didn't you reveal yourself before? When Aizen and Ywach were here?" Chizuru looked down. "We wanted to. But we couldn't afford to reveal ourselves. If we revealed ourselves, our enemies would have come out far sooner. We risked the Soul Society being destroyed. We didn't want to feign fear and obliviousness. We wanted to help fight. But it wasn't something we could do yet." "Then why now?" "Because. Our enemies have returned." A phone rang from nearby. Chizuru pulled her phone out of her pocket and answered it. "Hello?" Chizuru answered. A buzz on the other side answered. "What? That's impossible! You can't be serious! Yes, I understand. I'll inform him on our way here." She hung up the phone. "Ichigo. We need to go now. It's very important that we get to Karazuka's place - there is something you need to see there." Chizuru kneeled down and pulled out a bandage wad, and unrolled it, flinging it. It spiraled around the group, and everything went black in Ichigo's eyes. ---- "Well, now that that's over with, Yuzu," Ikumi turned to the girl, who stood frozen like a statue, marveling at the huge, desert-like area they called a basement. He pulled his pair of scissors from his pocket and pointed them at the girl. "Draw your sword." "Uh... wait... Wha- YIKES!" she jumped back as the area under her feet exploded from the sheer impact of Ikumi's scissors. Her sword was in front of her... did she even pull it out? "It's just like I thought." "What?! ARE YOU CRAZY?! YOU COULDA KILLED ME!" "That's kinda the point." Ikumi said, rubbing the back of his head. "Anyhow, you drew your sword the moment I came at you. You didn't even notice, did you? As I thought, basic sword skills and reflexes come to you as naturally as breathing. That being said, never be caught unprepared. Be ready at a moment's notice. The enemy will not hesitate to kill you. Whether you want to fight or not." He came at her again. She blocked, attempting to parry the sword, only to jump back again as Ikumi countered easily. "Hado Number 31. Shakkahō." A red fireball came at her from Ikumi's direction. She jumped out of the way as it exploded under her. "Here I come." A pair of scissors clashed with the Katana. "You can do better, come on!" ---- Ichigo looked into the area to see the two training, fully updated on the situation. He was objecting the entire way along. "We have to stop them! He'll kill her!" An arm came across his chest. "No, Ichigo, he won't. She'll survive. Have some confidence instead of insulting your sister's ability. She will survive because that will be her resolve. She doesn't want to get hit, so she will hit him. Do you understand?" Ichigo looked into Chizuru's now serious eyes. "Yes, I do." "Good." Suddenly, she received another call... this time, from Kisuke Urahara. ---- "Ikumi! Stop! The Soul Society is in trouble!" "What?!" Ikumi bound Yuzu in a kido. "It's them. They're attacking the Sereitei." "I understand." Karazuka nodded. "Yuzu. Meditate with that sword." "What?" the girl asked, confused. "I can only teach you the stances. I cannot teach how to use your own blade. I have given you all criticism and teaching that I can. All we were doing, was sparring." "How long has it been? I'm exhausted." Yuzu responded, with a heavy breath. "A full week." "SAY WHAT?!" "Remember, meditate. I have to go. Akiza, Chizuru, let's go!" ---- "There are odd gates opening up all around the Sereitei! Sound the alarm immediately!" Akon ordered. Another member of Squad 12 immediately jumped to a nearby intercom. "Attention all personnel and members of the Gotei 13! There are gates opening across the Sereitei! Investigate and engage! This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!" ---- "What are these gates, Captain?" Momo asked worriedly. "I don't know. They look almost like the gates to Hell itself... just be prepar-" BOOSH! The sound came from the open gate, along with a column of what appeared to be ice and water. None of the other squad members were able to get out of the way, but Momo had saw it coming. She hoped the captain got out as well. She looked to her side. Captain Shinji Hirako, shocked and still grasping his sword, Sakanade, fell onto his knees. His chest had been blown straight through - only an arm and about three inches of his torso remained. He fell to the ground, dead, without even the chance to look at his enemy. "Captain!" Momo screamed, rushing to his side. It was too late; he was already dead before he had even hit the ground. She felt the tears dripping down her face as she looked toward the gate. "Well, well. What do we have here? Upset, are we? Don't worry, you'll be joining him shortly." A figure stepped out of the gate. "But first, let me introduce myself. Legate 9I: The Ice, Takona Dinozza," the woman stepped out. Her hair was white, drooping down over her shoulders. Her eyes were an icy blue. Momo stood and withdrew her sword. "Oh? So you won't die peacefully then? What is your name, then, woman?!" "Momo Hinamori, Lieutenant of Squad 5." Momo's eyes glistened with anger and rage. She was going to kill this woman if it was the last thing she did. "Snap, Tobiume." ---- Soi Fon looked at the man in front of her. He was wearing nothing but a purple kilt, and a scar adorned his chest. His eyes were black as night; his sword was in his hand. Everything but him and herself was drenched in black. "Welcome to the Midnight Game. And who might our lucky contestant be?" "You first." "Very well, then. Legate 14M: The Midnight-Man, Antony Octavose. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss..." "Soi Fon, Captain of Squad 2." Soi Fon withdrew her Zanpakuto, putting it to her side. "Sting all enemies to death, Suzemabachi." ---- "Do not be afraid. I'm here to cure you." "I don't need cured of anything. Who are you?" Renji demanded. He held the already released Zabimaru in his hand, and was bleeding profusely. "I am Legate 4D: The Doctor, Castigo Guardia." the man answered. He resembled a doctor from the days of the Black Plague. Right down to the mask on his face. "And I'm here to cure you." "Will you stop saying that?!" Renji swung Zabimaru at the man like a whip. The man caught it easily with a single hand, shocking Renji. "Please do not resist. I am here to cure you." ---- "You know, you're pretty ugly for a Captain. They should have picked someone far better looking." the strange woman said. "Legate 6F: The Fashionista! Ava Leon!" "You talk too much." Kenpachi answered before his attack. ---- Kyoraku stood in front of the man who had caused this new trouble. This unexpected enemy, one from so long in the past. They were in mid-air, using pure Spiritual Pressure to hold themselves up. "It's been a long time, Demone. Come for some kind of grudge or something?" Demone answered. "Kyoraku, if I had a grudge against you killing me so long ago, I would've come back on my own to kill you, and then I would leave. No, I am actually here to thank you; had you not killed me, I would've remained nothing but a weak Hollow." "Don't mention it." The Captain-Commander held his sarcastic smirk as he withdrew his sword. "Although it's a shame I'm going to have to do it again." "You're a fool if you think you have that much power," the Togabito said calmly. "You haven't changed a bit. "Even in the most hopeless of situations, you refuse to give up. Look, your Captains and subordinates are dying all around you. There are only 2 of you left." He looked down, shocked at the site around him. Shinji lay dead while Momo fought almost hopelessly against a woman with white hair; Soi Fon had fallen against a man in a kilt, almost decapitated. Kenpachi was dying on the ground in front of three others. Sajin Komamura's Bankai fell almost directly in front of them. "You see, we did not come for a grudge. We are nothing more than a resistance. A resistance against Hell, the Soul Society, and even pure existence itself. You should give up, and die without a fight." "I would, but, one has to consider: You just killed hundreds of my men, three captains included. If I didn't try to avenge them, who would?" he let his haori fly off. "Flower wind rage, and Flower God roar, Heavenly wind rage and Heavenly demon sneer: Katen Kyōkotsu!" He melted into his own shadow, beginning the game. He appeared behind Demone, stabbing him through the chest. "Certainly you aren't that much talk. You're familiar with this game, are you not? It's Kageoni, the Shadow Game. And you've lost." "So you believe." A sword cut across Kyoraku's back, cutting him in half from the waist down. He fell to the ground. Barely alive, he looked up to see Demone charging something from his finger. "You underestimate me, Kyoraku. You should've used your Bankai, lest you would not be dead so quickly." He fired the blast, and everything went black. ---- "My lord." Mortale emerged behind Demone's back. "I apologize for interrupting your activity, but three Captain-class Soul Reapers just appeared from the Senkaimon." "Let them discover their fellows. As for us, we must go." "Leaving so soon?" Demone looked over his shoulder. "You..." Ikumi looked at him. Beside him stood Akiza and Chizuru. Demone turned around. "I must apologize, Ikumi Karazuka. However, I don't have any time to deal with you. I am late for my afternoon tea." A gate raised behind him, and opened. He went through it as Ikumi flash stepped towards him. "Wait! Come back here!" The gate slammed shut before Ikumi got to it. ---- "What are the casualties, Chizuru?" The red-haired girl looked somber. "Out of the remaining Captains before Ywach's attacks, only one has been left alive. He was fortunate enough to dispatch four enemy soldiers before their retreat with only minor injury. I've stabilized the lieutenants of Squad 5 and 6; they're alive, but barely." "Who the hell are you?" Ikumi turned around to see the silver-haired Captain of Squad 10. "I'm just your average High-School Chemistry teacher, Captain." "Don't play dumb with me. Who are you?" Ikumi sighed. "Alright, I'm the former Captain of Squad 5, Ikumi Karazuka." ---- It had been almost a week. The lieutenants gathered in the first division, with Nanoe Ise, who handed in a resignation. Under normal circumstances, it would not be accepted, however, Toshiro put her on leave, with the intent of discharge. It was an understandable situation - the darkest times had come again. The Zanpakutos of the lost captains sat in a case. This was post-memorial; the other captains had been buried with honors. Hitsugaya entered the first division barracks. Yachiru sat in a corner, crying silently. That little sociopath had lost Kenpachi, who was like a father to her. He believed that the other lieutenants felt the same way. He held a letter from the Central 46 in his hand. "Before I begin, is there anyone else who wishes to resign from their positions?" The room was silent. "Shiro," Momo's voice silently croaked. "What do we do?" Toshiro looked down, silently. This wasn't the time to be angry over a nickname. "I don't know, Momo." It seemed like forever that they sat in silence. Momo attempted to comfort Yachiru, who's sobs were the only sound in the room. "I have already contacted several agents in the human world. They will be arriving shortly. All of you, return to your barracks'." They gathered to leave the room. He opened the letter again in silence. Toshiro Hitsugaya, As you are the only remaining captain, it has been deemed that the only option in the wake of the death of Shunsui Kyoraku is to ship your Captaincy to the first division, and give you the formal title of Captain Commander. When you receive this letter, please report to the Central 46 immediately. This was it, then. ---- "Toshiro Hitsugaya, I hope you have found viable candidates for Captaincy. You cannot be the only one." One of the voices echoed from the chamber. "That, I have. And I have also taken the liberty of bringing them here, as well as issuing their uniforms." "Captain, you realize that this is not your decision? The Central 46 is the one respo-" "Oh, but I am afraid you are not, but I am. As Captain-Commander of the 13 Court Guard Squads as well as the only one of you who has been on the battlefield, I believe I am in much more of a position to determine viable candidates for Captaincy. It is either that, or you can take your chances protecting yourselves." "Captain Hitsugaya, I object! The Central 46 is mean-" "The Central 46 is for judiciary reasons, not military reasons. Had the formal title not been given to me, I would taken the title myself. Either way, these are the people who are going to be promoted to Captaincy, and that is my final decision." "Fine then, Toshiro. Have it your own way. Just who are these people?" The doors opened, as 12 people walked in. The Central 46 almost went up in flames. "That's enough!" Toshiro shouted. "If you do not like it, you can protect yourselves. But these are the people who I have deemed viable for Captaincy: Captain of Squad 2, Yoruichi Shihoin. She will also be taking command of the stealth force." Yoruichi stepped forward. Unlike her usual get-up of an orange shirt, it was replaced by a standard stealth force uniform, with the haori of Squad 2 draped over it. "Captain of Squad 3, Akiza Terra." Akiza stepped forward, her headphones still in her ears. "Captain of Squad 4, Tessai Tsukibishi." Tessai stepped forward, bowing. "Captain of Squad 5. Ikumi Karazuka." Ikumi stepped forward. It had been too long since he had worn this uniform. "Captain of Squad 6. Ichigo Kurosaki." Ichigo stepped forward, wondering why the hell he agreed to this. "Captain of Squad 7. Love Aikawa." Love stepped forward. "Captain of Squad 8. Renji Abarai." Renji stepped forward. He had on his goggles from the old days, the haori drooped lazily over his standard uniform. "Captain of Squad 9. Chizuru Honsho." Chizuru stepped forward. Her glasses glinted. This was no time to look for hotties among the females: She had to stay serious. "Captain of Squad 10. Isshin Kurosaki." Isshin stepped forward... and then attacked his son. "SON WE GET TO BE CAPTAINS TOGETHER! I'M SO PROUD!" "GET OFF OF ME!" "WILL YOU TWO CUT IT OUT!" Hitsugaya shouted. "Now, Captain of Squad 11: Ikkaku Madarame. Or should I say: Ikkaku Kenpachi." Ikkaku stepped forward, with his sword slung over his shoulder. "Captain of Squad 12: Kisuke Urahara." Kisuke stepped forward. "Good Evening everyone! Long time, no see!" "And finally, Captain of Squad 13: Rukia Kuchiki." Rukia stepped forward, bowing gracefully. "Thank you, for the honor, Captain Hitsugaya." "Do not mention it." "What is wrong with you Hitsugaya?! Are you a fool?! These are people who were thought lost or were exile-" "And they were wrongly accused or intervened with by something they had no control over. Still, these are the most viable candidates, and they are the captains whether you want them or not." "That is enough. Captain Hitsugaya, we will support their bids. Currently, we cannot afford to debate this subject. We will trust your judgment." "But, Judge 1-" "No buts, Sage 33. That is our final decision." ---- Three weeks had passed since the last attack. The Sereitei was slowly rebuilding. Kisuke Urahara and Ikumi Karazuka had been working together, creating a massive kido barrier around the Sereitei and Rukon District, in order to prevent any further interruptions. Renji came up beside Ichigo. "Still can't believe it. We're captains now, huh?" "Yeah." "So, how's your sister? Yuzu, I mean?" "She's fine. Ikumi has taken her into his squad to continue her training." "What about Karin? You didn't leave her on her own in the Human World, did ya?" "Hell no. Dad had her and a few of my friends moved into the Sereitei. Uryu is the only one who refused." "Ah." "Anyway, Renji. You heard about -TWACK-" Ichigo was interrupted by a kick in the face from Hiyori Sarugaki. Coincidentally, his new lieutenant. "ICHIGO, YOU DICK, YOU PASSED RIGHT BY ME AND DIDN'T EVEN SAY GOOD MORNING!" "WHAT THE HELL?! I DIDN'T EVEN SEE YOU! IS THIS THE THANKS I GET FOR CHOOSING YOU AS LIEUTENANT!" "GET REAL! YOU ONLY CHOSE ME BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE YOU WANTED WAS ALREADY CAPTAIN!" The two began a comical scuffle and argument. "Hey, Captain Abarai! How are things?" "Kisuke, you know you can call me Renji, right?" "Eh, formalities. Anyhow, have you heard about the 2nd half of the Royal Guard coming to help us rebuild?" "No, I haven't." "HEY! I was just about to tell him that." Ichigo stood up, his nose bloody. "Yeah, there's apparently a second Royal Guard, said to guard some kinda prison. They're apparently coming sometime in the next week, and we're set to go meet them on Sokyoku Hill." "I see. Well, I better get back to the Eighth. I'll catch ya later for drinks?" "Why not?" Ichigo replied. Hiyori began walking away. "Hey, Hiyori." "What do you want?" "You aren't taking Shinji's death too hard, are ya? You know you can talk to me, right?" Hiyori walked up to him. And kicked him in the groin. Ichigo didn't go down as Hiyori walked off. "Are you insane? Why the hell would I talk to you?!" Ichigo breathed out. When she was far enough away, Hiyori grabbed her foot. "What the hell is he wearing under those pants?" She stood up and frowned somberly. Goddammit, Shinji. You didn't have to go and die on me, ya dickhead. ---- "I suppose you all know why we're here. This is first Captain's meeting we've had since the battle. I've called you all here to give a progress report. I'll start with the progress of the Kidou barrier. Will the Captains of Squad 5 and 12 please step forward and debrief me?" Toshiro opened his eyes, as the two Captains stepped forward. "It's almost fully formed. Captain Karazuka and I have been working on it for most hours of the day." "It should be completed in about one week. It should prevent anything from happening that would interfere with the activity of the Sereitei, including invasion, replacement of all buildings with a city from another world, and common household pests." Ikumi replied with a salesman-like voice. "Excellent work. What about Yuzu Kurosaki? Is her training coming along well? I'm certain her father and brother wish to hear of her progress." "It's progressing. Basic sword skills, reflexes, and even mild proficiency with Kido seem to come to her as natural as breathing. She trains a good portion of the day and already developed Spirit Energy equivalent to a 6th seat. Last I checked, she was on the verge of achieving Shikai." "Thank you. Stay where you are, both of you. Will the Captains who did not have lieutenants step forward?" Isshin, Ichigo, Rukia, and Renji stepped forward. "Have you five chosen lieutenants yet?" "I chose Hiyori Sarugaki." Ichigo responded. Rukia stepped forward. "I made arrangements with Captain Tsukibishi, and have selected Hanatoro Yamada, Captain-Commander." She stepped back, replaced by Renji for the next systematic report. "I made arrangements with Captain Ichigo Kurosaki, and have selected Mihane Shirogane." Isshin stepped up, a smile on his face. "I have selected Shūtetsu Nagamoso as my lieutenant." Urahara was next. "I selected Rin Tsubokura." And finally, Ikumi. "Well, I selected Nimina Taikomi. My old lieutenant from 200 years ago." "Good, all of you. With those formalities out of the way, I best inform you all of how things will run. As you know, many of you are actually much more experienced than I am, having been captains some time during the past two centuries. That said, I do not look at any of you as subordinates. You are still fellow captains, as far as I am concerned. I want to work together with you." "That's what we do. You lead, we advise." "What?" Chizuru spoke. "Look, Captain-Commander. You reinstated our positions, but the fact that you were the only captain to survive that battle wasn't sheer luck. We are more experienced, yes; but that doesn't really mean anything. We are leaders ourselves, but you are the one with the final decision. We cannot make that for you." "I see. I understand. You're all dismissed. Meet me at the Sokyoku Hill at 1500 hours; we'll need to meet the Prison Guard." The captains bowed, leaving the barracks. Renji came up beside Ichigo, walking beside him. "I have to admit: that was more boring than I thought it would be." "Yeah. Too much formality. Hey, Renji." "Yeah?" "Have you seen Hiyori? She seems to have been gone for the past week." Renji scratched his head. "I actually haven't. Sorry about that." "Wonder where she went..." ---- Shinji, you dick. I wouldn't have to get stronger if you didn't die. Hiyori thought to herself. She raised her sword as a voice came from beside her. "Are you ready, Hiyori?" "Who said I wasn't?! Hurry up already." "Hiyori." the man walked up to her. He was wearing a dark gray mask, donned in what appeared to be a dirty double-breasted trench coat. In his hand was a large cleaver-like sword with a serrated edge. His voice held a hiss to it; and he had no legs. He was slithering on a massive tail that stretched behind him. "We cannot rush this." "I know, I know." Hiyori replied impatiently. "I guess I didn't think it would take this long." "You underestimate me, girl. Release my shikai, and allow the true battle to begin." Hiyori held up the sword. "Chop Cleanly..." Her spirit energy rushed to her blade as it transformed into the same cleaver-like sword the serpentine man in front of her wielded. "Kubikiri Orochi." ---- "It's time for lesson 2. I'm going at you with full strength, this time, Yuzu. Here's a little clear condition for ya." Ikumi stuck an unlit cigarette in his mouth. "Huh?" Yuzu looked at him briefly. "Your blade is nothing to me at full strength. There is a form you can achieve, and that's what we're going for. First though," the Fifth Squad captain lit the cigarette and breathed out the smoke. "If you can knock my cigarette out of my mouth, Lesson 2 is clear. But, it takes about 10 minutes to smoke a cigarette." He looked at her, his eyes betraying the seriousness of the situation. "That's all the time you have." Ikumi came at her. She stuck her sword up to block. And his signature pair of scissors cut it in half like butter. "Eek!" Yuzu squeeled and took off running the opposite direction. Damn... He cut right through my sword like it was nothing to that pair of scissors. Has he really been taking it that easy? He hasn't actually hurt me before, but now he's actually trying! the girl thought to herself. Suddenly, Scissors-and-Cigs appeared directly in front of her. She blocked the scissors as they came down. She took notice of her blade starting to split. "Your zanpakuto is really nothing but a blade. It doesn't have any spirit energy. The effort you put into meditation must be terrible if you haven't even figured out its name. That's why it's so easy to cut through it. She took running again. Wait a moment... he's using a pair of scissors! A zanpakuto is a sword, isn't it? That means... Even as a Captain, he can't hurt me! She turned around. Slice! Her cheek was bleeding as she stood there, shocked. Her sword fell apart the rest of the way. "Let me guess; I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume you thought that because I was using a pair of scissors, I couldn't hurt you; because a pair of scissors isn't a zanpakuto, right? You let your guard down, and now you don't even have a blade. But, you are wrong about one thing: Snip, Burakkuseibāzu." The scissors extended into a rapier. He held it to his face and stabbed the ground. Yuzu barely jumped in time to dodge the sheer number of blackish colored blades that extended from the ground. "That pair of scissors is my Zanpakuto. That said. You don't even have a sword to fight with. You could use the hilt to knock my cigarette out, but..." He looked her in the eye. "... If you underestimate me so much as to even think of taking me on with that pile of crap, I will kill you." She took off running again, certain he was serious. Had she always been this pathetic? She was always shy, gentle, kind and playful. But a battlefield was none of those things. What did she need? What could she do? A world suddenly opened up around her. "Resolve, Yuzu." a female came from cloud surrounding her. "What?" "You need resolve. Why are you afraid Yuzu? Do you fear his power? He is one enemy with a single blade." A female figure emerged from the shadow. On the side of her head was a black tatoo of a crescent moon. Surrounding was a cloak, colored midnight blue, decorated with stars and patterns. "But how... He's so strong..." "Then become stronger! If you don't want to be hit, then hit him! If you don't want to die, then kill him first! Resolve that you will do this and your power is limitless! Now, shout my name and '''release me!" "Resolve! Tsukikiba!'" the world dissolved around Yuzu as her blade returned, becoming a blue colored, large katana. The guard floated around it in the shape of two crescent moons. Ikumi swore he was looking at an entirely person. "Good, now it's time for lesson thr-" Yuzu disappeared, appearing beside him. She lifted her sword above her head in less than a second, and slashed. ''Boom! Ikumi landed on the ground. "Good thing I used my flash step to get out of the way, otherwise I would've probably got cut in half. That's not very nice." He picked up what was left of his cigarette, which was nothing but a cleanly sliced filter. "I believe you've killed my cigarette." He threw it down and lit another one. He looked at Yuzu, who was asleep on her re-sealed - and reformed - Zanpakuto." "Heh." He smirked. "Lesson Three: Complete." ---- Izuru sat on his knees in front of the blue-haired captain. Her headphones were as loud as usual, blasting dubstep music into her ears. She opened her eyes and spoke. "Izuru, what do you believe is the philosophy of our division?" "I believe that it is despair and a dread for battle. We believe that there is nothing exciting about war. Our symbol, the marigold, represents this." "You're an idiot." "WHAT?!" Izuru was taken aback. "You're an idiot." Akiza said again. "I was the one who made the marigold a symbol of our Squad, almost 200 years ago. To me, it has an entirely different symbolism. To me, it's the symbol of a deep musical rhythm. A rhythm of joy, not despair." "Wh-What do you mean, Captain? Are we supposed to enjoy battle?" "No. You're supposed to feel joy, in general. I see you, lumbering around with your head down in despair around the barracks. It's almost like happiness doesn't exist. Your beat is sad and somber. But," she looked in his eyes with an almost unheard of seriousness. "You can't protect anyone with despair. Despair does nothing, Izuru. It drives those you love away. It limits you. It places burdens of guilt that affect your ability to act. You can never help anyone when despair and guilt cloud your judgment. Now stand, and follow me." He stood, and followed Akiza to the training grounds. He barely dodged out of the way in time as she almost bifurcated him. "Hey! What?" "Release your Zanpakuto. You can't expect me to train you without it." "Captain, I-" "Release it. Now. Your despair almost got you cut in half. You weren't expecting me to try to cut you down - your sadness clouded your judgement. Now, release your Zanpakuto." She held her sword up, her hand on the back of the blade. "Drop, Shindō Burēdo." The blade took its form, the strings extending up the side. Izuru withdrew his sword, silently. "Raise your head, Wabisuke." The two began to clash in a spar. Wabisuke hit Akiza's blade 13 times. But... there was a problem... She wasn't dropping it. Slash! Blood dripped from his hand. Izuru stood, shocked. Akiza was a few feet in front of him, blood dripping from her sword. "You think that you can keep slashing my sword and get anywhere? I'm aware of Wabisuke's ability. But let me tell you mine. My Zanpakuto controls vibrations on a subatomic level. I simply have to counter your Zanpakuto by having mine vibrate and essentially unravel the imaginary weight. In essence, every time you've slashed my sword, I've undone the effect." Izuru could barely mouth his words. "But.. how?.." "I'm able to do it because you don't even understand your own blade. The entire time you've fought with him, you've kept him chained on a ball. He isn't despaired because he represents you giving penance. He is penance, Izuru. Your zanpakuto is the very representation of forgiveness. Those who you immobilize with that blade aren't begging you for forgiveness. He represents your opponent forgiving you, and bowing in respect. 'The Penitent One' is you, Izuru. I was unaffected by your blade because I have nothing to forgive you for. Because I bear no ill will towards you, nor do I see a reason for you to feel guilty." Izuru stood still. Was he hearing her correctly? "I don't want to see you until you have discovered the true power of your Zanpakuto, Izuru Kira. Now leave me." He sheathed his Zanpakuto. "Yes... Ma'am." He walked away, not in despair, but deep in thought. ----